Girl, six, has ear bitten off in attack by bull terrier

A GIRL of six needed emergency surgery to save her ear after she was mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier in a forest.

Police search the surrounding area where the girl was attacked by a dog []

She is recovering in hospital after part of the severed ear was reattached and rebuilt using plastic surgery.

The youngster also suffered injuries to her neck, shoulder and face in the attack before her father forced the dog to let go by frantically punching it in the face.

Her frightened younger brother was also traumatised by the attack, which happened while the family was out walking on Saturday.

A 56-year-old man handed himself in to police after the attack in Epping Forest, Chingford, Essex. It is understood he fled the scene on Saturday before going to Chingford Police Station yesterday morning.

He is being held on suspicion of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. The dog may be destroyed.

It’s so sad. We just hope the girl’s all right

Mr Young

The girl, who has not been named, was in a “stable but serious condi- tion” last night at an Essex hospital.

Police said the attack happened at about noon on Saturday at a beauty spot in the forest called Pole Hill.

Detective Sergeant Stuart Cheek, of Waltham Forest Police, said the “appalling incident” had left the girl with serious injuries that could scar her for life.

Witnesses described the horrifying moments when the girl’s father tried desperately to save his daughter.

Terence Lundy, 70, who lives nearby, said he was walking up Pole Hill when he saw the distressed family come running towards him.

He said: “There were four of them – a husband, wife, a girl and a boy in a Spiderman outfit. The husband said a dog had bitten his daughter’s ear off.

“He said he punched the dog in the head and kept punching it until it let go and the owner had said ‘can’t you keep your kids under control?’ The little girl was just in shock.

“The mum didn’t have the proper bandages to put round her head, so I gave her some clean handkerchiefs.

The girl’s ear was bleeding and she had a bad cut to her eyebrow as well. I had my granddaughter with me but I told her to stay back. It’s scary. It could have been her.”

Ann Speed, 53, said: “You often see dangerous dogs in this area. There was a doberman that ripped the side out of another dog last year.

“I’m surprised nothing’s happened before now. This was an accident waiting to happen.”

Patrick and Joan Young, both 44, who live near the forest, said their Jack Russell Rolo found part of the severed ear.

They gave it to police immediately but were not sure if they were in time to help surgeons.